We didn’t have much equipment around to do that, but I ended up adjusting the EQ on the tape machine, as well as using a graphic equalizer - that’s how the album was released, and I won my first client. DB – When I started mastering in 1971, I was told to leave the recordings alone – no EQ or other changes allowed! Pepper band, were dressed in custom-made military-style outfits made of satin dyed inday-glocolours.

As well, my school careers adviser had suggested being a train driver, or bus driver instead (laughs). It’s all beautifully done, as you might expect: few organisations part fans from their cash with such good taste and elegance as Apple Corps. I have come to realize that, from a sound quality perspective, this may be the most valuable and best sounding of them all. It goes back to the Abbey Road studio and EMI, and the range of people that were involved in making those records. And they were using 4 channels of a Studer tape machine, and bouncing it across to achieve the mixes - this is a difficult process.

In contrast, the stereo version was an afterthought; it was created by the studio’s “B” team of engineers, and the Beatles didn’t bother to attend those sessions.

These are contained within an outer box designed to look like a period EMI tape box, over which slides the classic Peter Blake cover art of Sgt.It was a position in the mastering rooms for international releases from Columbia, Polydor and Warners, as well as some local product. The instrumental tracks highlight Ringo’s varied and original playing, which is often submerged in the final mixes. Apart from Richard Harvey at CBS, who taught me the ground rules - and did a good job of it - I never actually had a formal education in mastering, as there were no courses in those days. The concept is entertaining and original, but it also serves to liberate both the musicians and the listener from any ingrained expectations. Pepper's was released in 1967 in both mono and stereo version with catalogue numbers PMC 7027 and PCS 7027 respectively.